Clay-tempering machine



(No Model.)

F. MIDDLETON.

CLAY TEMPBRING MACHINE. No. 348,472. Patented June 8, 1886.

fd@ 'fn M1 f l BY ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EETEE.

FRANK MIDDLETON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

CLAY-TEMPERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,472, dated June8,1886.

Application tiled January 14, ld. Serial No. 183.614. (No model.)

nations of parts, as will be described, and

pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a perspectiveview of my apparatus.Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof, parts being broken away and othersshown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-section of the frame,cross-beam, and

the circular track, with the carrier-pinion in place on the latter.spective view of the center bearing-tube. Fig. 5 is a detail perspectiveview of the pitman, showing the manner of connecting the same with thetraveler-shaft. Fig. 6 is a detail per! spective View of thebearing-connection. Fig.

7 is a detail perspective View showing a portion of the tempering-wheelshaft and the collar and set-screw thereon, and Fig. 8 is a detail topplan view of one of the posts.

The objects of my improvements are, to secure steadiuess of frame andmachinery when in operation; to provide a circular cog-track that willhold the oil in position to be taken up bythe traveler-pinion, and willprevent it n from dripping off 5 to simplify the mechanism fortransmitting and applying the power, to so form the main frame that theweight and.

vmotion of the machinery will stiffen the whole main frame; and afurther object is to economize material in the construction. ofmachinery of this class.

In the drawings I have shown the posts A as mounted on a base-piece. Itwill be understood that in practice such posts may be sunk in theground, or may have any other suitable foundation-support. I arrangethese posts in a circular form around the clay-pit, which may be ofcommon construction, having a central bearing for the shaft l, carryingthe tempering-wheel 2, such shaft and wheel being also Fig. 4 is adetail perof the common construction. The upper ends of posts A arejoined by cross-beams B.

In the present instance the posts A have the opposite sides of theirupper ends mortised at 3, to receive the cross-beams, and the walls ofsuch mortises on the opposite side of the same post diverge toward theouter side of the post, as shown most clearly in Fig. S.

The cross-beams B serve as a foundation for the circular track. C, andare preferably grooved at 4, to form a seat for such track, althoughsnch groove might beomitted where so desired.

By the circular arrangement of the posts A and B, which constitute what,for convenience of reference, I denominate the outer frame, I provide arm foundation for the circular track D, which is usually seated in agroove, et, formed in the upper side of the cross-beams at the inneredges thereof.

The track C is provided at about its center with the rack 5, and isprovided on opposite sides of such rack with the elevations or flanges6. rlhe object of these flanges is to prevent the oil used to lnbricatethe rack from flowing off and wasting, and also obviate the dripping ofsuch oil onto the workmen below. This track is depressed at 7, at thebase of the cog-rack, so the oil will accumulate in such depression, andwill be taken up and distributed by the traveling pinion in theoperation 0f the apparatus.

Between the cog-rack and the outer flange of the carrier I form a smoothbearing, 8, for the plain-faced pulley of the traveling wheel.

The arch-frame is formed of a series of beams,l), having their outerends supported on the tops of posts A. These beams D may be secured tothe outer frame by seating them in socketed castings secured on the topsof the posts, as shown, or they may be secured to the posts bylagbolts,ffas will obviously appear. These beams D rise toward thecenter, where they are usually secured to or against a centerpiece orkey-block, E, which latterv is preferably hexagonal, as shown, or, wheremore or less beams D are used, with a number of sides corresponding tothe number of beams employed. It is usual to provide this keyblock withsmall metallic blocks 9, secured to it, one above each of the beams D.Mani- VICO festly, thejoint between beams D and block E may be formed bymortising the beams into the block or in othersuitable manner. By thuselevating the arch-frame at the center I attain two desi red ends. Inthe irst place, I provide a support for thedrive mechanism suiiicientlyabove the track to avoid the necessity of hangers or similar expedients,by which to support such track. Another important result is that theweight and motion of the operating mechanism, instead of sagging the topframe and rocking the entire framing, as is the ease where thetop frameis formed horizontal, will rather operate to tighten and increase therigidity of the framing by the weight and motion operating at the crownof the arch, causing the archframe to press out on the outer frame, aswill be understood.

The key-block is provided with a vertical opening for the centralbearingtube, F. This tube forms a bearing for the vertical shaft G, andis provided with a bearing-flange resting on the key-block. This iiangemight be formed a disk, but it preferably consists of a number nf arms,10. as shown. I provide this bearing-tnbe with a bracket, H, usually aneX- tension of one of the arms 10, and provided at its outer end withabearing, 11, for the upper or countershaftfl. Near itslower end thebearing-tube is provided with an annularl groove, 12, for theconnection-piece J. The vertical shaft J is journaled in the centerbeaiingtube, and is provided at its upper end with a gear, 13, and atits lower end with a gear, 14. The counter-shaft is journaled near itsinner end in the bearing l1, and has at such end a gear, l5, meshing thegear 13 of shaft G. At its outer end the `counter-shaft has a pulley,16, to receive a belt from the source of power, and is journalcd nearsaid. end in the bearing 17 of the standard K. This standard, it will beseen, is formed with two legs, 18, which rest on the outer frame, andare usually dis posed one ou each side of 011e of the posts A thereof.By the use of this countershaft I avoid the use of twist-belts and thelike, necessary when power is communicated by'belt directly to thevertical shaft, and facilitate the application of the power and avoidthe slipping consequent to the use of twist-belts.

The connectiolrpiece J is provided at one end with a cuff or removablebearing, 19, iitting the groove l2 of the center-piece, and bolted orotherwise suitably secured to the body or web of the connection, whichhas at its opposite end a bearing, 20, for the travelershaft L. It willbe noticed that the body or web of the connection is curved, and allabrupt bends or angles are avoided, giving the greatest strength with`the least expenditure of metal, as will be seen. This connection, itwill be seen, revolves around the central bearingtube, its bearing 19turning in the annular groove l2, as shown.

The traveler-shaft L is journaled at its inner end in bearing 20, andhas a pinion, 21, meshing the lower gear of the vertical shalt. At

its outer end, shaft L has the traveler M, having a cog-wheel, 22,meshing the circular cograck of track G. As the vertical shaft isturncdby means of the c0untershaft, the traveler will by the meshing of cogs22 in the circular rack, be caused to move around the center bearing, aswill be understood from the drawings and foregoing description.

To the shaft of the carrier is connected one end of a pitman, N, whichmay be formed of wood or iron, or, as is preferred, of wood and ironcombined. In order to form this connection, it is preferred to securetwo collars, 23, on the traveler-shaft, and to secure the split cuff 2lof the pitman on the shaft between said collars. The opposite end of thepitman is provided, with a hook, 25, which engages an eye, 26, on thecollar O. This collar is fitted on and movable along the tempering-wheelshaft.

To secure the pitman from slippingin against the tempering-wheel, and atthe same time obviate the necessity of braces and the like, I employ aset-screw, 26, turning through the collar O, and bearing against thetemperingwheel shaft. This set-screw operates to secure the collar tothe shaft, and permits it to be adjusted as may be desired.

Herctofore machines for transmitting power to clay-tempering machineshave been in use for a long time. I do not claim any of those oldprinciples as used in such machines as inventions of my own; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by 'LettersPatent, is-

1. In a clay-tempering machine having a traveling shai't andintermediate gearing connecting the same with the driving-gear, a mainframe comprising an outer frame and an archframe, which supports theintermediate gearing, supported at its outer end on the outer frame,andhaving its central portion or crown elevated, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

2. In a clay-tempering machine, a frame comprising standards or uprightshaving connecting-beams and arranged in approximately a circular series,whereby to provide an elevated support for the circular track,substantially as set forth.

3. In a clay-tempering machine, a main frame consisting of a circularouter frame having vertical posts and cross-beams connecting .saidposts, and the arch-beams supported at their outer ends on the posts,and being inclined upward toward their innerends, substantially as setforth.

IOO

4. In a clay-tempering machine, a circular the base of such cogs, andthe traveling pinion meshing said cog-ring, whereby oil will bedistributed thereby, substantially as set forth.

6. rlhe combination, with the circular track, the traveling pinion, theshaft supporting said pinion, a vertical shaft geared with aforesaidshaft, and a gear on said vertical shaft, of the counter shaft operatingabove the central gearing, and having a pinion meshed with the gear ofthe vertical shaft and provided with a pulley, whereby to facilitate thetransmis`r sion of power from the driver, substantially as set forth. l

7. The combination of the outer frame, the beams D, a center-piece orkeygblock, and a bearing-tube, F, the travelershaft, and the verticalshaft geared therewith and journaled in tube F, substantially as setforth. y

8. The combination, in a lclay tempering machine, with thetraveler-shaft, the vertical shaft, and lthe counter-shaft, of thecenter bearingtube encircling the vertical shaft and provided with afiange adapted t0 rest upon the supportingframe, and having a bracketprovided with'a bearing for the counter-shaft, substantially as setforth.

9. In a clay-tempering machine, and" in combination with thetraveler-shaft, the vertical shaft, and the counter-shaft, the centralbearingtube having near its lower end an annular groove and providedwith a bearing for the vertical shaft, and with arbracket having abearing for the counter-shaft, and the connection having at one end abearing itting the annular groove 0f the bearing-tube and provided witha bearing for the traveler-shaft, substantially as set forth.

l0. In a clay-tempering machine, the coinbinatiou, with thetempering-wheel shaft and the traveler, of the collar encircling thewheelshaft and provided with a set-screw, whereby it may be fixedthereto, and the pitman having oneV end connected with the traveler andits other end detachably joined to the collar of the wheelshaft,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

1l. The combination, with the framing and the vertical and travelershafts, of the bear- -ing-tube encircling the vertical shaft, and havingannular groove 12, fiange l0,`and bracket L H, having bearing 11, thestandard, the counter-shaft journaled iu bearing'yll and the standard,and suitable gearsconnecting the counter, vertical, and traveler shafts,substanl Witnesses:

W. J; McDownLL, W, E. LEFEW.

